Knee operated outboard motor steering control



Jan. 16, 1968 s. HOEKSTRA 3,363,599

KNEE OPERATED OUTBOARD MOTOR STEERING CONTROL Filed Sept. 30, 1966 Stanley Hae/rsfra I IN VENTOR.

BY 93 Mk):

United States Patent 3,363,599 KNEE OPERATED OUTBOARD MOTOR STEERING CONTROL Stanley Hoekstra, Rte. 1, Blomkest, Minn. 56216 Filed Sept. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 583,258 13 Claims. (Cl. 114-144) This invention relates to a novel and useful remote control for an outboard motor of the type pivotally supported from a boat transom for oscillation about vertical and transverse axes and the control of the instant invention has been specifically designed for use in conjunction with such an outboard motor mounted on a fishing boat of the type including a transverse seat disposed forwardly of the transom of the boat.

The control includes a first transversely extending arm having one end pivotally secured to the outboard motor and the other end pivotally secured to the rear end of a second longitudinal arm pivotally supported at its forward end from a suitable mounting bracket supported from the boat. The forward end of the second arm includes a laterally directed portion and the axis of rotation of the second arm relative to the mounting bracket is disposed intermediate the opposite ends of the laterally directed portion of the second arm. The free end of the laterally directed portion of the second arm is provided with means defining an endwise opening recess. This recess is adapted to removably receive therein the leg of a person sitting astraddle the aforementioned transverse seat with the free end of the laterally directed portion engaging the users leg below the knee thereof while the foot of the leg is disposed on the bottom of the boat. In this manner, the user of the boat may rock his knee laterally toward the front and rear ends of the boat and thereby effect oscillation of the pivotally supported second arm and in turn effect oscillation of the first arm and also outboard motor.

Further, the first transversely extending arm includes a pair of end aligned arm sections having resilient means interconnecting the adjacent ends thereof in a manner such that the end section secured to the outboard motor may be oscillated about its longitudinal axis relative to the end section pivotally secured to the second arm during forward tilting movement of the outboard motor.

The main object of this invention is to provide a novel and compact remote control for an outboard motor enabling a person sitting astraddle a transverse seat in an associated boat to readily steer the associated outboard motor.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide an outboard motor steering control including means by which the vibrations of the associated outboard motor will not be transmitted directly to the user of the remote control.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a remote control for an outboard motor supported from substantially any fishing boat, the outboard motor control including several components which may be adjusted relative to each other and to the boat so as to adjust the control to suit a particular boat with which the control is to be used.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide an outboard motor steering control which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

3,363,599 Patented Jan. 16, 1968 These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a rear portion of a fishing boat shown with the outboard motor steering control of the instant invention operatively supported from the boat and connected to the outboard motor for actuation by the knee of a person seated on the rearmost transverse seat of the boat;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the steering control with an alternate position of a movable portion thereof illustrated in phantom lines;

FIGURE 3 is a side elev-ational view of the assemblage illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectiona1 view taken upon a plane passing through the pivotal connection between the two pivotally connected arms of the control.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates a fishing boat including a pair of opposite sides 12 interconnected by means of a bottom 14 and also by means of a transom 16.

A conventional outboard motor generally referred to by the reference numeral 20 is mounted on the transom 10 in any conventional manner and is tilted about a horizontal transverse axis and also oscillated about an upstanding axis for steering the boat 10, the outboard motor 20 including a steering handle 22 of conventional design.

The outboard motor steering control of the instant invention is generally referred to by the reference numeral 24 and includes a mounting bracket assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 26. The assembly 26 includes a clamp portion referred to in general by the reference numeral 28 and an arm portion referred to in general by the reference numeral 30. The clamp portion comprises a U-shaped member 32 including a pair of generally parallel legs 34 and 36 interconnected by means of a bight portion 38 and a pair of locking screws 40 are threadedly secured through the leg 34. The clamp assembly 26 is disposed over and embracingly receives between the legs 34 and 36 the upper marginal portion of the transom 16 a spaced distance from the outboard motor 20. The clamping screws 40 clamp the transom 16 between the screws 40 and the leg 36, the latter having a clamping plate 42 secured thereto in any convenient manner.

The arm portion 30 includes a pair of converging arms 45 and 48 spaced apart at one pair of corresponding ends and secured to the clamping plate 42 as at St) and the other pair of corresponding ends of the arms 46 and 48 are joined together in any convenient manner such as by an integral apex portion including an apertured lug portion 52. A third arm 54 extends outwardly from the central lower portion of the clamping plate 42 and is secured to the apertured mounting lug portion 52 by means of a suitable fastener 56. Further, the third arm 54 comprises a first section 58 secured to the mounting plate 42 and a second section 60 which overlaps the free end of the first section 58 and is secured thereto in adjusted sleeve 66 and the clamping plate 42 may be varied.

The control 24 includes a first arm generally referred to by the reference numeral 68 and a second arm generally referred to by the reference numeral 70 including a laterally directed end portion 72 which is pivotally supported from the sleeve 66 by means of a fastener 74 secured through the laterally directed arm portion 72 intermediate its opposite ends and the sleeve 66.

The first arm 68 includes first and second sections 74 and 76. The section 74 has a bifurcated journal assembly 78 adjustably secured thereto for adjustable positioning therealong and the assembly 78 rotatably journals a resilient member 80, a pivot fastener 82 being secured through the resilient member 80 and the bifurcations of the bifurcated journal assembly 78. An attaching arm 84 is carried by the resilient member 80 and is secured to the steering handle 22 of the outboard motor 20 in any convenient manner.

The section 76 of the first arm 68 defines a bifurcated journal assembly 85 which rotatably supports a resilient member 86 similar to the member 80, a pivot fastener 88 being secured through the assembly 85 and the resilient member 86. The resilient member 86 is secured to and is thereby supported from one end of the second arm 70. The second arm 7 it includes a pair of end overlapped sections 90 and 92 secured together in adjusted overlapped positions and the resilient member 86 is carried by the section 99 whereas the laterally directed arm portion 72 is carried by the section 92.

The free end of the arm portion 72 is provided with a U-shaped member 96 including a suitable resilient coating 98 and defining an outwardly opening recess opening toward the side of the boat remote from the clamp assembly 26.

The boat 10 includes a transverse seat 100 which extends between the sides 12 and upon which an operator 102 is seated, the left leg 104 of the operator 102 being emhracingly received in the U-shaped member 96 whereby the operator 102 may shift the knee of his right leg fore and aft relative to the boat 10 so as to effect oscillation of the outboard motor 20 abouts its upstanding pivot axis. Of course, the resilient coating 98 and the resilient members 80 and 86 serve to dampen the vibrations of the outboard motor so that they are not transmitted directly to the right leg 104 of the operator 102. In addition, the sections 74 and 76 are interconnected by means of a resilient connecting member 110 which further serves to dampen the vibrations of the outboard motor 20 and enables the section 74 to oscillate about its longitudinal axis relative to the section 76 when the outboard motor 20 is tilted forwardly in a conventional manner to lift the lower unit thereof (not shown) out of the water.

The clamp assembly 26 may also be readily supported from the side wall 12 if such mounting is desired. Further it will be noted that the arms 46 and 48 are disposed in a plane which converges toward the horizontal plane in which the arm 54 is disposed.

Of course, the control 24 may be readily adjusted for actuation by either knee of the operator, the various components of the control constructed of metal may be wholly or partially constructed of metal tubing and the control has been designed in a manner enabling it to be readily adapted for use in various types of boats and in conjunction with substantially all outboard motors.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a boat of the type including a transom, a transverse seat spaced forwardly of said transom, and an outboard motor supported from said and including a supporting portion disposed forwardly of said transom and adjacent said seat, a first transverse arm having one end pivotally secured to said motor for rotation about an upstanding axis with the other end thereof projecting toward one side of said boat, a second longitudinal arm having one end pivotally secured to said other end for rotation about an upstanding axis, the other end of said second arm projecting forwardly toward said seat and being pivotally supported from said supporting portion, said other end of said second arm including means adapted to be engaged by a leg portion of a person using said boat and oscillated about the pivot axis of said second arm for effecting oscillation of said motor.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said steering control includes means operative to selectively shift said supporting portion and said pivot axis longitudinally of said boat.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said steering control includes means operative to selectively shift said supporting portion and said pivot axis transversely of said boat.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said steering control includes means operative to selectively shift said supporting portion and said pivot axis both longitudinally and transversely of said boat.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said second arm includes means operative to adjust its effective length from its connection with said first arm to said pivot axis.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said outboard motor also is of the type pivotally supported from said transom for rotation about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said motor, said first arm including first and second end aligned opposite end sections adjacent said motor and said second arm, respectively, and means interconnecting the adjacent ends of said sections for oscillation of said first section about its longitudinal axis relative to said second section.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said means interconnecting said sections includes a resilient member.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bracket includes a clamp portion clampingly engaged with said transom and adjustable in position therealong.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said other end of said second arm includes a laterally directed arm portion, said arm portion comprising said other end portion of said second arm, said pivot axis being spaced intermediate the opposite ends of said arm portion, the end of said arm portion on the side of said pivot axis remote from said second arm including means defining an endwise outwardly opening recess adapted to receive the lower portion of a leg of a person seated on said seat.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said steering control includes means operative to selectively shift said supporting portion and said pivot axis longitudinally of said boat.

11. The combination of claim 9 wherein said steering control includes means operative to selectively shift said supporting portion and said pivot axis both longitudinally and transversely of said boat.

12. The combination of claim 9 wherein said outboard motor also is of the type pivotally supported from said transom for rotation about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said motor, said first arm including first and second end aligned opposite end sections adjacent said motor and said second arm, respectively, and means interconnecting the adjacent ends of said sections for oscillation of said first section about its longitudinal axis relative to said second section.

13. In combination with a boat of the type including a transom, and an outboard motor supported from said transom for oscillation about a vertical axis, a steering control comprising a bracket supported from said boat and including a supporting portion disposed forwardly of said transom and spaced above the bottom of said boat, and control arm means pivotally supported from said supporting portion for swinging oscillation in a generally horizontal plane including a first end portion oscillatable generally longitudinally of said boat adapted to be engaged by the operator of said control and a second end portion pivotally secured to said outboard motor and oscillatable transversely of said boat through a generally transversely extending are having the vertical pivot axis References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,968,273 1/1961 Corbett et a1. 114-153 ANDREW H. FARRELL, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A BOAT OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A TRANSOM, A TRANSVERSE SEAT SPACED FORWARDLY OF SAID TRANSOM, AND AN OUTBOARD MOTOR SUPPORTED FROM SAID TRANSOM FOR OSCILALTION ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, A STEERING CONTROL COMPRISING A BRACKET SUPPORTING FROM SAID BOAT AND INCLUDING A SUPPORTING PORTION DISPOSED FORWARDLY OF SAID TRANSOM AND ADJACENT SAID SEAT, A FIRST TRANSVERSE ARM HAVING ONE END PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID MOTOR FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN UPSTANDING AXIS WITH THE OTHER END THEREOF PROJECTING TOWARD ONE SIDE OF BOAT, A SECOND LONGITUDINAL ARM HAVING ONE END PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID OTHER END FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN UPSTANDING AXIS, THE OTHER END OF SAID SECOND ARM PROJECTING FORWARLDY TOWARD SAID SEAT AND BEING PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED FROM SAID SUPPORTING PORTION, SAID OTHER END OF SAID SECOND ARM INCLUDING MEANS ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY A LEG PORTION OF A PERSON USING SAID BOAT AND OSCILLATED ABOUT THE PIVOT AXIS OF SAID SECOND ARM FOR EFFECTING OSCILLATION OF SAID MOTOR. 